MALAHUTAYONG KAHIUSAHAN SA MGA KABABAYEN-AN SA BUKI DNON
Sometimes, the best man for the job is a woman.
In the case of the MalahutayongKahiusahansamgaKababayen-an saBukidnon (Makakabus), which literally means “for the Sometimes, the best man for the job is a woman. In the case of the MalahutayongKahiusahansamgaKababayen-an saBukidnon (Makakabus), which literally means “for the poor” in Cebuano, it is the women farmers who dared to practice sustainable agriculture at a time when other farmers were still into saturating their rice fields with chemical fertilizers and insecticides.
The women were originally members of the BukidnonMasipag Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMF-MPC). The co-op was based in Barangay Sinayawan, Valencia, Bukidnon, one of the 10 sites of the concluded Promoting Participation in Sustainable Enterprises (PPSE) program of the Philippine Development Assistant Programme. But because they had felt they weren’t being given the freedom and the funds to implement projects they were committed to doing, they decided to put up their own group in 1998. The Bukidnon Center for Sustainable Agriculture turned over farm equipment in 2001 and the women started various enterprises – farm equipment rental, food catering service and rice trading. At first, they bought and sold rice even if the suppliers were using conventional, inorganic methods. Membership exploded to more than a hundred but when MAKAKABUS enforced a “purely organic” policy, only eight women held on. poor” in Cebuano, it is the women farmers who dared to practice sustainable agriculture at a time when other farmers were still into saturating their rice fields with chemical fertilizers and insecticides. The women were originally members of the BukidnonMasipag Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BMF-MPC). The co-op was based in Barangay Sinayawan, Valencia, Bukidnon, one of the 10 sites of the concluded Promoting Participation in Sustainable Enterprises (PPSE) program of the Philippine Development Assistant Programme.
But because they had felt they weren’t being given the freedom and the funds to implement projects they were committed to doing, they decided to put up their own group in 1998. The Bukidnon Center for Sustainable Agriculture turned over farm equipment in 2001 and the women started various enterprises – farm equipment rental, food catering service and rice trading. At first, they bought and sold rice even if the suppliers were using conventional, inorganic methods. Membership exploded to more than a hundred but when MAKAKABUS enforced a “purely organic” policy, only eight women held on.
The move was necessary as one of MAKAKABUS’ objectives was to “implement sustainable / organic agriculture to alleviate poverty in Bukidnon province.” And since Valencia was being positioned as the organic rice capital of the Philippines, MAKAKABUS felt that it was in the best position to take advantage of increasing awareness of organic products. MAKAKABUS quickly realized, however, that it was up against human behavior, poverty and centuries of programming using unsustainable agriculture based on destructive practices inherited from the green revolution.
The move was necessary as one of MAKAKABUS’ objectives was to “implement sustainable /organic agriculture to alleviate poverty in Bukidnon province.” And since Valencia was being positioned as the organic rice capital of the Philippines, MAKAKABUS felt that it was in the best position to take advantage of increasing awareness of organic products. MAKAKABUS quickly realized, however, that it was up against human behavior, poverty and centuries of programming using unsustainable agriculture based on destructive practices inherited from the green revolution.
The women farmers, however, were not about to falter in their objective so they persevered. A production loan of Php 150,000 was acquired from PDAP and other NGOs, which was used to purchase palay.
One officer says, “There were members who quit because they could not commit to pure organic farming. They wanted three cropping cycles a year.”
While organic farming needs lesser farm inputs and is therefore, relatively less costly, small farmers still needed a fiancing scheme to support their decision to shift and continue sustaining their families.
The first year is particularly crucial because there is a slack in the harvest – two croppings instead of three are encouraged – to allow for a fallow period.
Daphne Frayco, MAKAKABUS’ Local Inspector, notes the early difficulties, “When we weren’t into organic farming yet, we could harvest up to 100 sacks but the costs were also expensive. When we went organic, we could only net up to 50 sacks.”
MAKAKABUS went through other painful growing pains, mainly problems with fiancing and also convincing the farmers to stay on the organic track. To encourage them to keep farming the organic way, MAKAKABUS presented itself as a market for the organic rice and become the right kind of middleman.
MAKAKABUS provided production loans to member-borrowers and bought their organic rice harvest at PhP 9 per kilo fild weight – 12.5 percent higher than the prevailing market price. The rice was processed using the group’s own post-harvest facilities because by then, MAKAKABUS had earned enough from farm equipment rental to buy more equipment.
Phasing into its new program, Promoting Rural Industries and Market Enhancement (PRIME), PDAP assisted MAKAKABUS in establishing an Internal Quality Control System (IQCS) to produce superior organic products.
Under PRIME, MAKAKABUS had developed another identity – as Local Market Consolidator (LMC) serving as intermediary between the market and farmers. This way, problems in the regularity of supply, high transaction cost, little bargaining power and transparency are addressed.
PDAP also guaranteed MAKAKABUS’ loans from MASS – SPECC of Php1 Million for trading capital and Php 4.5 Million for mortgaged land’s redemption project.
The farmers also knew that the profi margin is plowed directly to the organization. Every sack of palay merits 50 centavos for MAKAKABUS. So even if there are still ordinary rice traders that they can sell their produce to, farmers preferred MAKAKABUS. This trust made the organization what it is now.
In 2006, MAKAKABUS acquired an organic certifiate from the Organic Certifiation Center of the Philippines (OCCP) after it installed its IQCS. Then in the following year, it was able to buy commercial lot for its warehouse, solar dryer and rice mill exclusive for organic products MAKAKABUS also later found itself getting more land as because of poverty, many nonmembers were forced to mortgage their land to MAKAKABUS. Before acceptance, these farmers were screened and agreements were reached that the properties are to be used for organic production. An 80 to 20 percent sharing scheme was also forged providing the original owners the option to work their land while the organization provides training, inputs and helps manage the properties.
Some members who have mortgaged their lands to private individuals are assisted in the redemption and in the shifting to organic farming. The original owners gradually pay the mortgage until they are able to redeem the land from MAKAKABUS, preventing them from losing their properties.
The Land Acquisition and Management project has turned into the organization’s primary source of income with advocacy to non-organic believers as the value added in the scheme. In 2006, of the total 86 hectares devoted to organic farming, 20 hectares are mortgaged property. MAKAKABUS wants to bring the area of mortgaged property up to at least 25 hectares to fulfil its twin objectives of rescuing farmers from the tight grip of poverty and spreading the benefis of organic farming.
And MAKAKABUS is not about to stop growing, helping prove once again that women can lead, and lead well, indeed.